HONOLULU – As warmups had been ending forward of their first preseason sport collectively as teammates, two Warriors competing to be in the beginning lineup embraced. Brandin Podziemski circled to De’Anthony Melton in the layup line and opened his arms out large earlier than the two smiled, laughed and shared a giant hug.
About an hour and a half earlier, after days of holding his lips sealed and refusing to disclose his plans, coach Steve Kerr lastly advised reporters that Melton would begin alongside Steph Curry in the backcourt, additionally sharing the ground with Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
The pregame second between teammates was a mirrored image of what per week away in Hawaii was all about, in addition to time spent collectively at Chase Center main as much as coaching camp. Bonding was a requirement and chemistry had shortly taken form.
Podziemski and Melton on paper may have shaped unhealthy blood battling for the identical spot. As a rookie, Podziemski was the one who changed Klay Thompson in the beginning lineup and has been propped as an up-and-coming face of the franchise. Melton was wooed by the Warriors, utilizing the mid-stage exception by waiving Chris Paul and signing the combo guard to a one-yr, $12.8 million contract. The entrance workplace wasn’t shy in hiding how a lot they coveted him, each to Melton and amongst one another.
Now, he’s the first to be Curry’s new backcourt mate for the 2024-25 NBA season, together with a nickname from Podziemski he laughs at whereas nonetheless making an attempt to determine his reasoning.
“That’s my dog,” Melton says of Podziemski. “He calls me OG, but I’m not that old, so I don’t know about that. But that’s my dog. We actually chop it up a good amount. We just pick each other’s brains, see what’s going on and I like being around him.”
In the locker room after the Warriors’ buzzer-beating 91-90 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, the by no means-shy 21-yr-previous Podziemski defined his ideas behind his OG of a 26-yr-previous Melton.
“I call De’Anthony OG because he looks old as s–t, but he’s only 26,” Podziemski joked. “It’s been good. We’ve just been clicking, vibing. There’s no ego. We just want to go out there and hoop for each other.”
There’s no replicating a Klay Thompson. The Warriors didn’t attempt to substitute him with a single participant, although it’s simple to see how a mixture of two newcomers can fill his position. Buddy Hield is the sharp-shooter who can ignite an offense in an prompt from downtown, as seen by him splashing his first shot try as Warrior – a 3-pointer off an help by Podziemski.
Melton isn’t the identical flamethrower from deep that Hield or Thompson is. He nonetheless can greater than maintain his personal offensively, and he's the closest factor the Warriors should a two-method guard the likes of when Curry and Thompson had been completely complementing one another on the strategy to 5 straight NBA Finals, previous to Klay being dealt two devastating blows in season-ending leg accidents.
How he connects the sport was evident all through camp. The disruption was particularly apparent throughout a sequence in the second quarter when Melton saved a play alive and instantly discovered Curry at the prime of the arc. The consequence then was really Curry creating his otherworldly gravity and giving the ball up for a large-open Melton.
Melton ➡ Steph ➡ M3lton pic.twitter.com/iOnP3PXYlj
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 5, 2024
Golden State’s first factors of the sport additionally had been from Curry aiding a Melton three.
Steph finds Melton for 3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/lRvaryu5Ii
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 5, 2024
“They look great together,” Kerr stated. “I know Steph didn’t shoot well, but they look for each other. De’Anthony’s a really good shooter, but also a playmaker and gets in the mix on everything defensively. I’m a really big fan of De’Anthony and I really like the depth of our offense.”
Whether it has been as a member of the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies or Philadelphia 76ers, Melton has chased Curry loads of occasions round the court docket. Players and coaches even have let or not it's recognized to Melton they assume he ought to have been on the ground extra for the Grizzlies towards the Warriors in the 2022 playoffs, an act of admiration he kindly smiles at and accepts with out providing any shade at considered one of his previous groups.
Now that he and Curry are on the identical aspect, he needed to keep in mind what a special feeling it's having him as a teammate.
“You don’t understand his movement until you’re on the court,” Melton defined. “One time he threw the ball and I’m on the weak aspect and he comes flying off and I’m identical to, ‘Oh, I forgot!’ you realize what I imply. It’s stuff like that the place you bought to remain engaged.
“I think with this offense, everybody is engaged and that’s what I love about it.”
Their first displaying wasn’t good for Curry and Melton. There had been flashes, although. The thought of why this may work is obvious. Step by step, the Warriors are assured they've a new duo they will entrust.
Just like they will entrust Podziemski in a number of roles on any given evening. On Saturday, his position was to guide a second unit of Hield, Gary Payton II, Kyle Anderson and Kevon Looney, together with Moses Moody later. Podziemski struggled capturing like almost all of the Warriors, however led the staff in assists with 4 and was second in plus/minus at plus-5, executing what simply was the move of the sport.
Podz hits GP2 with the energy-bounce help 🤯 pic.twitter.com/6kPAS3Zj8B
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 5, 2024
“I don’t mind it,” Podziemski stated. “Whoever I’m with, beginning or coming off the bench, for me I simply need to end video games and be the place the most necessary performs are made. If I’m beginning, if I’m coming off the bench, it actually doesn’t matter. I take delight in main the second group.
“Point guard is supposed to be a leader out there. I think today I did that. … From a broader perspective of leadership and being a point guard, I think I did that pretty well.”
Yoga collectively in the paradise of the North Shore on Oahu might need been one issue. Whatever it's, there’s a special sense with these Warriors, one that's removed from stale. There’s a scrappiness to them. Tenacious. Feisty. Together.
“We added veterans, but we feel younger,” Podziemski stated to sum it up.
Separated by solely 5 years and bonded by an ironic two-letter nickname, the quick-constructing relationship of Podziemski and Melton is one instance of the Warriors turning over a new leaf and bringing a contemporary vibe to begin a new period that many are excited has begun.
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